Feb 13, 2013

Why Do Bathroom Mirrors Fog Up?

Have you ever gotten
through with your shower, only to have to clean the fog off your mirror? This
happens to people every day of the week around the country. It is a most
aggravating problem, especially when you need to get ready for your workday.
You have to stop what you are doing just to clear the fog off your bathroom
mirror. Why do these mirrors become fogged in the first place?

When you take a hot shower, the vapor off the hot water fills the surrounding
air. Air can only hold so much moisture before reaching what is called its dew
point. At this point, the moisture from the air starts to collect of the
bathroom surfaces including the mirror.

Moisture on the Mirror

This moisture on the mirror is considered condensation and it can cover the
entire mirror. When this happens, you cannot see your image as you need to for
shaving, brushing teeth, applying makeup or other such tasks. You will first
have to remove the moisture from the mirror.

If the condensation is too severe in the bathroom, it could even be on the
floor, which could make it slippery. This could cause you to fall. You should
have some non-slip rugs or mats on the floor to prevent you slipping and
possibly falling.

You can prevent the condensation from occurring on all surfaces just by not
having such a hot shower. A warm shower does not produce as much vapor as a hot
one does. Also, if you leave the door open to the bathroom, there is more air
circulation allowing the vapor to escape instead of accumulating.

Exhaust Fan

An exhaust fan running in the bathroom is another way to keep the mirror from
fogging up with the condensation caused from the shower. If you do not have a
bathroom exhaust fan, use a floor fan.

The most popular way to clear the mirror is to blow hot air on it from a hair
dryer. The heated air makes the water evaporate off the mirror. It also can
help dry the mirror off from being wet.

Today, there are mirrors available that resist fogging. They have heating
elements running through them similar to that of car rear windshields. If your
budget allows, you may consider replacing your bathroom mirror with one.

Conclusion
Regardless, of how you deal with a fogged up bathroom mirror, you now know what
causes it to get that way. Remember, it is only water and will not harm the
mirror. It does not mean anything is wrong with the mirror. It is just the
natural reaction to the air becoming too saturated with moisture to hold all of
it. Just defog it and go on with your life.